In recent years, telecommunication devices have advanced from offering simple voice calling services within wireless communication networks to providing users with many new features. Telecommunication devices now provide messaging services such as email, text messaging, and instant messaging; data services such as Internet browsing; media services such as storing and playing a library of favorite songs; location services; and many others. Thus, telecommunication devices, referred to herein as mobile devices, are often used in multiple contexts. In addition to the new features provided by the telecommunication devices, users of such telecommunication devices have greatly increased. Such an increase in users is only expected to continue and in fact, it is expected that there could be a growth rate of twenty times more users in the next few years alone.
Duplicate international mobile equipment identities (IMEIs) for mobile devices are a major problem for operators of wireless communication networks since fake mobile devices with duplicate IMEIs can be used for nefarious purposes. For example, a mobile device with a fake or duplicate IMEI can access a wireless communication network for free and/or can be used for illegal activities. While the Global Mobile System Association (GSMA) is working on a Global Equipment Identity Register (GEIR), there are still issues with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) having implementations that make it easy to change IMEIs since IMEI implementations by OEMs are not truly secure and can be modified on mobile devices using various tools.